KADAVU, FIJI ISLANDS – 26th February 2011 – Matava – Fiji’s Premier Eco-Adventure Resort is proud to be announced as the winner of the Environment/Local Sustainability Award at the AON Fiji Excellence in Tourism Awards 2010 for its policies on environmental sustainability and the environment.

The annual Fiji Excellence in Tourism Awards night sponsored by AON was held at the The Warwick Resort and Spa on the Coral Coast on Friday 26th February 2011, and attended by Matava Director, Stuart Gow. Many local tourism operators and business people attended the evening presentations. This year there were over a thousand nominees in the 12 categories. This glamourous event was Red Sea Rig & Cocktail theme, welcoming guests with a 3 course dinner, an awards ceremony & fantastic live entertainment with a turn out of over 400 guests

Matava was proud to be nominated in 3 categories, and was chosen as a finalist in all nominated categories at this year’s AON Fiji Excellence in Tourism Awards. Bite Me Gamefishing Charters and Mad Fish Dive Centre were recognised as finalist in the Fiji Experience Award, and Matava – Fiji’s Premier Eco Adventure Resort was a finalist in the Quality Accommodation Award as well as winning the Environment/Local Sustainability Award.

“We are extremely proud to win this award. We have been lucky to win overseas and global awards for our environmental policy in the past year, but it is especially gratifying to be recognised at home by our colleagues in Fiji.” said Mr Stuart Gow, one of Matava’s Directors.

Richard Akhtar, Managing Director of Matava – Fiji’s Premier Eco Adventure Resort said “At Matava, we are of course both happy and proud to receive this prestigious award. We find it even more important that the industry, by rewarding environmental efforts, choose to take a stand for the environment we depend on. We also see it as an important continuing signal to the community which at the same time can serve to inspire the numerous individuals and companies who have been doing so much, and continue to do even more in the field of environmental enlightenment and conservation. This award has highlighted Fiji’s leading role and efforts in this regard especially.”

About Matava – Fiji’s Premier Eco Adventure Resort:

Matava – Fiji’s Premier Eco Adventure Resort, is an eco adventure getaway offering you a fun and unique blend of cultural experiences and adventure activities in the environmentally pristine and remote island of Kadavu in the Fiji Islands. Matava – Fiji Premier Eco Adventure Resort is a PADI 5 Star Dive Resort as well as a Project AWARE GoEco Operator. With more than 14 years experience in the Fiji Islands, Matava is recognized as a leading educational dive centre. Matava offers accommodation for up to 22 guests in lush tropical surroundings in traditional thatched Fijian ‘bures’ with hardwood polished floors, louvre windows and private decks offering privacy, comfort and superb ocean views.

About AON Fiji Excellence in Tourism Awards:

The awards which have been in existence for 14 years, honour those who have made a significant input to Fiji’s most important industry. The prestigious awards are given to individuals, groups and companies in a broad range of categories; covering accommodation, restaurant and dining, tours and transportation, environmental and local sustainability. Winners were chosen as part of a nomination process which began late last year and closed in January. Recipients of the various awards have proven dedication, active participation and innovation in their fields of speciality, and have thus merited the esteem of the industry. Over the years, the AON Excellence in Tourism Awards has grown in prestige and now not only bestows recognition but serves as an incentive for individuals and companies to aspire to greatness in the sector.

The vessel you are naming is an 8.5m/28ft custom designed Dive Boat. This dive boat has room for an exclusive 8 divers on a 2-tank dive,as well as a PADI Divemaster and a captain.

It has everything on board that a diver needs like rinse buckets, a camera table, a shaded area, and easy entry twin platforms for both going in and out of the water.

This vessel is custom designed for the specific diving done in Kadavu, Fiji Islands. Based on a proven hull design by NAIAD Designs from New Zealand, the boat was further developed by Bluewatercraft in Navua, Fiji Islands to allow a dry, safe ride, while allowing easy access to the water from the back twin dive platforms.

Wednesday, 16 February 2011

Wednesday, 9 February 2011

As scuba divers, we all have an extraordinary opportunity to see parts of the world that many aren’t able to experience. Certainly the opportunity to visit diverse countries around the globe is a major part of what drives divers and professionals alike. A growing number of industry members are choosing to combine their dive trips with service projects and opportunities to give something back to local communities.

Last year, Mark Fischer of HyrdoSports Dive and Travel in Keizer, Oregon led a group of seven to Kadavu, Matava in Fiji. While there, the group did some great diving but the main thrust of the trip was to visit Koro Village. The community has limited access to medical, dental or standard eye care services. Fischer’s group, that included two dentists, a school librarian, an accountant and a heavy equipment operator, did what they could to serve local residents and put a smile on their face. Many of the smiles weren’t just the locals, but also the “visitors”.

“Everyone knew that they would be doing some type of service on the trip. It was extremely rewarding and I know that we made a difference,” Fischer points out. He’s already making plans for a second trip later this Spring.

Fischer correctly observes that it’s important for dive travelers to give back to the local communities and places they visit – and he’s not the only one.

Steve Weaver of Weaver’s Dive and Travel regularly encourages his clients to plan on bringing small things with them on trips. “School supplies including crayons, pens, paper, pencils and picture books are always welcome,” he points out. But he made another interesting observation - “Sometimes TIME can be even more valuable than money – just sitting down and talking with kids and locals makes a big difference.

It’s not just dive centers involved in making a difference. Last year, Deep Blue Adventures launched its “Good Will Diving” initiative. During the DEMA Show, officials from Deep Blue Adventures promoted “Eyes for Fiji”. The team collected nearly 200 pairs of reading glasses to send to Fiji to help meet a need for the local populations.

“The response has been overwhelming. People in the dive industry and divers in general are very generous,” says Cheryl Patterson of Deep Blue Adventures. “Everyone wants to take part – it’s incredible.”

Both Patterson and Fischer were quick to praise Air Pacific for providing assistance with baggage fees – at no charge.

Members of the industry have been “giving back” for years but the efforts are now gaining more momentum - and attention! Susan Shaw of Divegear has been raising funds to purchase wheelchairs for the people of Fiji. To date, she’s purchased and shipped more than 3,250 units to a population in need.

A blog by Richard, Joe, Stuart, Simon and Lou of Mad Fish Dive Centre at Matava about the great scuba diving around the Fiji Islands. Some of the highlights of living and working in Fiji is the diving on the soft coral reefs with sharks, mantas and teeming life on the reefs.